Camping Review: Three Valley Campground- Holland, NY

In our house, Memorial Day marks the official start of camping season.  We always book a site at SpragueBrook Park (Glenwood, NY) for our first camping adventure.  It is less than fifteen minutes from our house so it is the perfect place to go for our first visit, just in case something goes wrong!  Unfortunately, with our crazy start to 2013 we missed the window to make a reservation and by the time we tried to book....they were filled!  So we decided maybe it was time to try someplace different.  Three Valley Campground located in Holland, NY became our destination!

So excited to be camping!

Dom and Zac are probably the best camping buddies I could ask for.  They like to hang out, explore the surroundings, and love a good campfire!  However, like all 11 year olds, they also love their iPad, TV, and watching movies.  So, they were not at all bothered by the frigid temperatures we had in WNY over the weekend.  They were able to enjoy some time in the camper without mom making them come out to enjoy the fresh air.  However, Jay was less thrilled.  He had one mission, and one mission only....ride his bike as much as humanly possible!

Yes, that is Jay's blankie stuck in the handlebars.  Such a silly boy!

The campground was VERY large.  Most people who stay there are seasonal campers who bring their own golf cart to go from one location to the next.  For a frame of reference, the nearest bathroom was about a half-mile away.  Which meant that if we wanted to do anything you had to get in the car and drive.  That fact was probably the biggest downfall of this park. So let's check it out!

Standard bathroom with sink, shower, and two toilets

I can't lie, the pond was beautiful!  If we ever come back I want to stay at one
of the sites by the pond.  We were a good 1/2 mile away.

It was so cold outside I tried to stay warm by baking brownies and putting all the blankets on me! It worked...until Jay discovered my whereabouts.  

Irresistible Brownie Face Invasion!

The boys devoured the brownies!  They are awesome!

Perks:  *Water, Electric hookups at all sites

            *Family Friendly environment

            *Some of the nicest camping neighbors we have had....everyone was very friendly!

            *Relatively flat road (perfect for riding bikes or going for a walk)

            *Walking trails varied from "easiest" to more challenging hikes

            *Bathrooms with toilets and showers were well maintained

            *Heated inground pool

            *Large pond stocked with fish (catch and release)

            

Downfall:  *Everything was VERY far away

                  *Sites varied in size greatly.  Seasonal sites tended to overlap on "weekender" sites making some sites uncomfortably small.  We were lucky and were able to move our site when our initial site had this very problem.

                  *The playground was archaic with the exception of one cool plane glider.  

                  

So when everything was said and done I think it's safe to say that this campground was not for us.  We're going to keep exploring and find the perfect fit.  I'm not completely writing it off forever though.  I think some of the amenities (ex. pool) may be nice if we had been blessed with better weather.  In the meantime, we are going to keep searching for our next adventure.  If anyone has some suggestions, let me know.  I love trying someplace new!

This Is What Success Looks Like

Many people decide to go on vacation with an elaborate scheme and itinerary of events to follow. While I definitely have done that in my pre-marital days I can also say with certainty that those days are definitely over. Instead, our vacations tend to involve lots of relaxing time and quick little day trips that we incorporate into our days as we travel. This year's trip to the beautiful Presque Isle was no exception. While, I certainly didn't have time to lay in the sand working on my tan, I did enjoy lots of time splashing in the waves with D&Z. We stayed at Sara's Campground located right outside of Presque Isle State Park. There is no camping allowed in the park, but this campground is literally right next to Presque Isle so we could walk there from our campsite if we wanted to. While researching this vacation I discovered that Presque Isle is visited more times each season than Yellowstone. After visiting the park I can see why.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

• The campground was clean (including the bathrooms!)
• There is a nice restaurant with the best ice cream right at the campground. The creamsicle ice-cream is delicious!
• No fee for admission to the state park
• No fee for parking at the state park (as a native New Yorker I am used to being charged for EVERYTHING! Not being charged to visit the beach was a major advantage to me.
• Beach #11 was perfect for little ones or little guys that aren't the best of swimmers. The waves were nice and small and the bottom was sand. (Beach #1 in contrast has a rock bottom that made my feet extra sore!)
• Some beaches have wheelchair lookouts for accessibility. You have to watch out though, not all beaches offer this feature.
• Presque Isle is located right in Erie PA. You are literally a 15 minute ride from pretty much anywhere you would want to visit in the city.

Campground CONS:

• The campground is located somewhere near a train. It drives by at all hours of the day and night (sounding off it's horn, of course!) I am a light sleeper and was woken up every time it drove by. In contrast, my husband (who sleeps like a rock) didn't believe me until he heard it during the daytime. The train horn didn't bother him one bit.

We also ventured to the Erie Zoo. I was amazed by the accessibility found throughout Erie, PA. The Zoo had ramps and elevators everywhere. We were never "stuck" wanting to go somewhere without the ability to reach it. I was very impressed by this. The zoo offered great views of the animals and lots of cute centers for the kiddos (the train was a favorite!) I would definitely return to the zoo again. It was cute, clean, and a whole bunch of fun! We had so much fun over vacation that we even began to plan for next year. Now the only question is.....North Carolina or South Carolina?